After showing off the Demacian champion for Legends of Runeterra’s Empires of the Ascended expansion over the weekend, Riot Games has returned to Shurima for the next champion reveal.
Riot revealed Taliyah today and she’s the first champion to have a heavy tie to the Landmark mechanic.
Taliyah is a five-mana champion unit with 2/4 combat stats and a Play ability that summons an exact copy of a Landmark that you control. Taliyah levels up once you’ve summoned five Landmarks.
When Taliyah reaches level two, she gains +1/+1 combat stats, retains her ability to summon an exact copy of a Landmark when played, and a new Attack Skill ability that mirrors her Threaded Volley ability in League of Legends. When Taliyah declares an attack, she deals two damage to her blocker. If the blocker is dead or gone, two damage will be dealt to the Nexus instead. If you control a Landmark, this effect is repeated two more times.
Regardless of whatever direction you go in for a deck with Taliyah, figuring out which Landmarks you want to add will be vital to finding success because her stats are far below average for her mana cost.
Since Shurima’s reveal, the region has had an emphasized focus on Landmarks from the Buried Sun Disc and the recently revealed Ancient Preparations. Taliyah looks to synergize with these cheap Landmarks and provide multiple ways to gain massive value by duplicating copies of your expensive cards. While Taliyah can target your inexpensive and high-value effects on your cards, there’s also potent value in trying to target powerful Landmarks in other regions, like The Grand Plaza or The Veiled Temple.
Once she levels up, Taliyah can become a high damage menace. The chance to deal up to six damage on each attack against blockers or the enemy Nexus will quickly overwhelm your opponents.
Taliyah will join the champion roster when LoR: Empires of the Ascended is released on March 3.
